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The HubSpot Blog’s 2022 Instagram Marketing Trends Report

Instagram Marketing
April 20, 2022/by
The HubSpot Blog’s 2022 Instagram Marketing Trends Report If you’ve been on Instagram lately, you’ve probably noticed that the app looks a bit different every time you log on. The heart-shaped notification button seems to move with a mind of its own, IGTV has disappeared, and the addition of the Reels and Shop buttons has completely changed the way we interact with the platform. While these changes seem arbitrary, they're the crucial next steps in Instagram's evolution into a video-centric social shopping platform. In 2022, Instagram will continue to prioritize video, expand on social shopping tools, make it easier for creators to monetize their content and partner with brands, and rework direct messaging (DM) interfaces. While these shifts align with the trends we saw in our Social Media Trends survey, we decided to dive even deeper by asking another 580 Instagram marketers about how they'll approach marketing on this changing platform in 2022. Top Instagram Marketing Survey Findings Based on our results, most Instagram marketers are already ahead of the game: 79% have leveraged Instagram Shopping tools and one in three plan to use them for the first time in 2022.   82% post video content on the platform and the content formats they use most are video-based. Instagram Live has the highest ROI of any content format. It is also the most effective for gaining followers, gets the most shares, and will see the most investment from Instagram marketers this year. Content that...
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How to Turn a Case Study into a Customer Success Story [+ Tips from HubSpot Marketers]

Customer reviews and testimonials
April 20, 2022/by
How to Turn a Case Study into a Customer Success Story Expression, passion, style, persuasion, authenticity. These five elements encompass a customer success story — a transformation from a regular case study to an enticing piece of content that encourages a reader to explore what your company has to offer. When people think about writing a case study, they might feel a daunting rise of tediousness, or perhaps writer's block. In this article, we’ll dive into each step you need to take to create an engaging customer success story and convert leads. Why should you tell a customer success story? Case studies are more than proving your company's achievements. Through eloquence and thoughtfulness, you can demonstrate your product or service's power by telling a real story. Think about it: Real customers use your product. Real employees deliver successful projects. Real customers, real professionals, real people. What does that look like? Well, it's educating a prospect through a thoughtful perspective, and answering the following questions: How did the client feel at the beginning versus the end? What struggles did the project manager face? How did they feel when they overcame them? These questions will help you pull the key sections of your story and craft together a compelling piece of content. Turning a Case Study into a Customer Story 1. Find the right client. To get started, ask your project management or sales team about their latest projects and which one stood out....
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B2B & B2C Instagram Marketing Trends of 2022 [Data from 500 Marketers]

Instagram Marketing
April 19, 2022/by
B2B & B2C Instagram Marketing Trends of 2022 When it comes to social media, there are a lot of differences in which channels B2C and B2B brands prioritize. According to HubSpot Blog Research surveying 500+ marketers in 2021, 75% of B2B businesses currently leverage Facebook compared to only 66% of B2C. 60% of B2C businesses leverage YouTube, 24% more than B2B businesses. For Twitter, the same is true – it’s more popular among B2C brands than B2B businesses. When we narrow it down to Instagram, how do they compare? Let’s dive into the key differences between B2C and B2B brands on the social platform. B2B Trends and Tactics Better Success with Influencer Marketing When it comes to influencer marketing, B2B companies are reporting much higher return on investment than B2C companies. In fact, 25% of B2B marketers say it’s the marketing strategy they plan to leverage the most in 2022, compared to only 10% of B2C marketers. When asked to rank the ROI of partnering with influencers, 70% of B2B marketers say it offers high ROI compared to only 51% of B2C marketers. Most B2C brands report average ROI from this strategy.     ...
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How to Sort in Google Sheets

Google Sheets
April 16, 2022/by
How to Sort in Google Sheets Google Sheets is a great tool for tracking, analyzing, and organizing data for your company or business. While the application is user-friendly, it can be a bit tricky if you’re new to organizing data in a digital spreadsheet. But, don’t worry! Read on for an easy introduction to sorting in Google Sheets. First, know that there are many ways to sort data in Google Sheets. Some of the most common features marketers like you will use when working in Google Sheets are: Pivot tables – Useful for gathering data from a large database What-If analysis – Allows you to experiment with different scenarios for values and formulas to understand possible outcomes Charts – A simple way to visualize data in the form of a graph, diagram, or table While these features can also be found in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets may be the better option for you. Unlike Excel, Google Sheets doesn’t require a paid subscription. The tool is free for anyone with a Google account or Google Workspace account. Many users also find Sheets a more optimal tool for collaborative projects when compared to Excel. So, how do we get started sorting in Google Sheets? Let’s dive in. Sorting by Sheet Vs. Sorting by Range in Google Sheets The latter is especially helpful if your spreadsheet contains multiple tables and you want to organize one table without disrupting the others. For example, the spreadsheet below is...
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Formula Parse Errors: What They Are & How to Fix Them

Google Sheets
April 16, 2022/by
Formula Parse Errors: What They Are & How to Fix Them You're working in a spreadsheet and you want to use a function. You write the formula, excited to get the results, then you see "Formula parse error" leaving you feeling confused and a little defeated. Let's cover what that actually means and what probably lead to that error message. It's like trying to speak a different language without taking the time to learn it first. The software can kind of make out what you're saying, but not well enough to give you an accurate result. There are two likely causes for this error: There's a typo in your formula, or the order of operations is unclear. We'll go over some examples of each so that you can identify and fix them in your own formulas. Common Formula Parse Errors Usually, a formula parse error happens because of: Incorrect syntax – E.g.: Typing =+ instead of =, forgetting to put quotation marks around text values, putting two operators next to each other without anything in between them Incomplete syntax – E.g. Leaving out a parentheses. Another reason why you may be getting these errors is that you’re trying to use text values where numbers are expected. Let’s dive into the specific types of errors you may encounter: #N/A Error One of the most common errors is the #N/A error. It occurs when a formula can't find what it's looking for. For example, if you're using the VLOOKUP function to...
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The Ultimate Guide to Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Marketing Alignment with Sales
April 15, 2022/by
The Ultimate Guide to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) At many companies, it can feel as if there are 100 miles between sales and marketing. In a recent LinkedIn survey, 60% of global respondents believed that misalignment between sales and marketing could damage financial performance, yet there are a number of disconnects between the teams from strategy to process. One of the most critical steps for aligning your sales and marketing efforts is creating a service level agreement (SLA). Traditionally, an SLA serves to define exactly what a customer will receive from a service provider. But SLAs serve internal operations as well, and sales and marketing agreements are among the most crucial. . Ultimately, a service level agreement is designed to create alignment between two parties by setting clear expectations and mitigating any issues before they happen. With that in mind, there are multiple types of SLA depending on your use case. 1. Customer Service Level Agreement A customer SLA is just what it sounds like: an agreement by a vendor to deliver a certain level of service to a particular customer. Here's a fun example: In the TV show The Office, the company, Dunder Mifflin, supplies paper to various organizations. They might have a customer SLA stipulating that Dunder Mifflin will supply with 50 reams of paper per month, shipped every Monday to and by Darryl Philbin — with a confirmation of delivery sent to Jim Halpert. (Sorry, we had a little too much fun with...
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The Ultimate Guide to SEO in 2022

SEO
April 15, 2022/by
The Ultimate Guide to SEO in 2022 What is the first thing you do when you need new marketing ideas? What about when you decide it’s time to find a new accounting software? Or even when you notice a flat tire in the car? My guess is you turn to Google. Impact Plus reported that 61% of marketers named SEO as a top marketing priority in 2021. And so, it’s a cold, harsh truth that without at least some presence on Google, your business faces a digital uphill battle. In this guide, you’ll discover a strategy to build your online presence — Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You’ll learn what SEO is, how it works, and what you must do to position your site in search engine results. But before we begin, I want to reassure you of something. So many resources make SEO complex. They scare readers with technical jargon, advanced elements, and rarely explain anything beyond theory. I promise you, this guide isn’t like that. I’m going to break SEO into its most basic parts and show you how to use all its elements to construct a successful SEO strategy. (And to stay up-to-date on SEO strategy and trends, check out HubSpot's Skill Up podcast.) Keep on reading to understand SEO, or jump ahead to the section that interests you most. When asked to explain what SEO is, I often choose to call it a strategy to ensure that when someone Googles your product...
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Quora Ads: Are They Right For Your Business?

Advertising
April 15, 2022/by
Quora Ads: Are They Right For Your Business? When you think of online advertising, what’s the first thing that pops into your mind? Google? Facebook? YouTube? If you limit yourself to those digital media giants, you could be missing out on a more targeted market that is reaching 300 million users every month. What Is Quora? And Who Uses It? Quora is a social question-and-answer website, founded in 2009. Over the years, Quora has earned a reputation for crowd-sourcing the best responses to questions based on a Q&A engine of curious and highly engaged users. In June 2017, Quora launched its advertising services, and businesses are seeing significant ROI from advertising on Quora. Why? Quora users are 20% more likely to have authorized a business purchase. They’re 65% more likely to report a college degree. They’re also 37% more likely to be a manager. And they’re 54% more likely to report an annual household income of more than $100K. Even more interesting? 63% of Quora users conduct research before major online purchases. In the United States, Quora users are highly educated and primarily live in West and East Coast metropolitan areas.* With demographics like that, Quora Ads might be the perfect way to connect with your target market. Let’s dig deeper into why Quora makes sense for advertising, explore what advertising options are available, and delve into best practices for running ads on Quora. Quora Ads When you’re ready to launch your first Quora Ad campaign, you’ll be pleasantly...
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